Detectives in Nairobi have arrested four individuals, including former and current police officers, over their alleged involvement in a series of violent robberies and abductions within the city and its outskirts. The arrests mark a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle organized criminal networks operating under the guise of law enforcement.
The suspected ringleader, identified as Cleophas Wambua Musinga, a former police officer previously stationed in Homa Bay, was tracked down and arrested in Kitengela. He was found in the company of his associate, James Omwami, who is also suspected to be part of the same criminal syndicate.
During the operation, officers recovered several items believed to be linked to the illegal activities, including multiple vehicle registration number plates, seven mobile phones, identification documents, a teargas canister, and a pair of handcuffs suspected to have been used in abductions and intimidation. Investigations are underway to determine the origin of the identification cards and whether they were used in fraudulent or criminal operations.
One of the victims, a Nairobi County employee and blogger, recounted his ordeal, explaining how he was accosted by three men posing as DCI officers outside Mbagathi Hospital. They were driving a Honda Fit, registration number KDG 514Y, and claimed to be conducting an official operation. The victim was forced into the car, but his quick-thinking and the intervention of a nearby witness helped expose the suspects. It was later established that the vehicle’s number plates had been switched and falsified to conceal its true identity.
Further investigations led to the arrest of two serving police officers — Kipkurui Bii and Mwalimu Said Mwalole — who were attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The duo is believed to have participated in a separate violent robbery incident in Mirema, Kasarani, where they reportedly used a Subaru vehicle, registration KDC 069E, and an AK-47 rifle to storm a victim’s home and steal $16,000, equivalent to approximately Ksh 2.06 million.
Authorities say the arrests are part of intensified efforts to root out rogue elements within the police service who misuse their positions and resources to commit crimes. The four suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be arraigned in court on Thursday to face multiple charges, including robbery with violence, abduction, and unlawful possession of police equipment.
